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FAQS

Web design & development faqs

Does my business need a website?

Ask yourself, “Does my business need 24-hour exposure 7 days a week, 365 days a year?” The answer is obvious. What other medium allows you to expose all the benefits of your small business to your target market at their convenience and provide a source of direct correspondence from them to you? The benefits of a website are innumerable.

How many pages do I need?

This all depends on how much content you have. Every business website should have an ‘About Us’ page (or something similarly titled) to tell your visitors about your business. After that, it depends on what type of business you have. A good rule of thumb is to not overwhelm your audience with too much information on each page. Disperse the information and break it up into digestable pages and paragraphs. Long pages of text tend to overwhelm the reader. Break content up to truly get your audience’s attention.

What is a host and does my small business website need one?

A host is a company that connects your small business website to the World Wide Web 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. After Dark Grafx can provide this service for as little as $9.95 per month. Click Here to See Hosting Plans

Can After Dark Grafx build a website to sell my products?

Yes, we’ve built many e-commerce solutions for our clients. We’ll give you many different options – from very affordable to highly functional, database-driven online stores. Click Here to Contact Us

Why do some websites cost $400 and others cost $150K?

These days, anyone with the right software can call themselves a web designer, so it’s often challenging to separate one-man hobbyists from full-service agencies. Here are a few factors that tend to separate the cheap from the pricey:

1. The size of the team. Obviously, small outfits are cheaper, but really small operations are going to be plagued by people wearing too many hats, or staff that might be jacks of all trades and masters of none. Go with an organization that is too big, and you might be dealing with unnecessary overhead and less personal attention.
2. The amount of hours devoted to a project. Many firms will limit the number of concepts or revisions that you get. Make sure you know what that is up-front.
3. The quality of the design/designers. A really seasoned designer, one that has a solid portfolio, and a fine arts degree, is going to charge more for what they do. That said, having a degree does not mean you’re talented, so trust your gut when evaluating a firm’s portfolio. Design is incredibly subjective, so just like buying artwork for your home, pick what you like and what feels like the best reflection of your style.
4. Keep in mind, the amount of content you have for your website, if you will be supplying the images or will After Dark Grafx be taking photos of your products or location for you.
5. Do you need a database created?
6. Is your site going to be ecommerce? And if so, how many products will you have and what advanced options would you like on your shopping cart?

How much does a web site cost?

Pricing really depends on many factors. Consider this analogy:

You’re in the market for a new car. You call a car dealership and say, “How much for a car?” Before the salesman can answer they need to know… “What kind of car do you need? What are you going to use the car for? What about options?” Is all that you are really looking for at this point is a price range?
Depending on the different dealerships you contact, you’ll get responses ranging from $10,000 for basic transportation to $450,000 for a prestigious luxury car.

Buying websites is similar to buying a new car. The price range varies according to what you want, site function and quality. In order to give you an accurate price range for your project, we’ll meet with you – in person, online or over the phone – to determine several key issues like:

What are your business/website goals?

How large will your site be? How many pages? How much content?

Do you require our copywriting services or will you supply copy?

Do you require the site to be optimized for search engines?

Will there be dynamic elements like database of products?

Do you want a content management system so you can make changes yourself?

What about marketing? Maintenance? Traffic and ranking analytics?

All of these factors influence our website quotations. Our typical prices range from $1500 for a basic, very well built website that is fast and mobile friendly. Ecommerce sites may start from $1,500. Complex database driven sites are often $3,500 and up. All Custom Built sites are developed to our very demanding standards.

Do I need to hire a local web site designer?

No! After Dark Grafx creates web sites for clients who are local as well as out of state and out of the country.. By using the Internet, email and the telephone, it is possible to communicate effectively with clients in any location.

How long does it take to have a web site designed?

The time frame is determined by the size of your web site, the complexity of your site design, and our current client design schedule. A fairly straightforward web design project could be completed in as little as 2 to 3 weeks or less. We have worked night and day to develop a few websites in under a week – completed at a premium price. Smaller sites have been developed in as little as 3 business days. A complex site involving a database or ecommerce applications might take several months if the client is not organized.

What is a URL?

It stands for “universal resource locator”. This is the address typed in to view your web page on the Internet. For example, you would type in www.afterdarkgrafx.com to access our home page.

What is a domain name?

A domain name is a specific web site address that you choose (mycompany.com) and register for a certain period of time (1year, 3years etc.). Our domain name is “afterdarkgrafx.com”. Register one today Click Here

What is Web Hosting?

Web Hosting (also known as Web site hosting or Web hosting) is the business of housing, serving, and maintaining files for one or more Web sites. In a sense, you rent space on a computer to hold your Web site as you would by renting a place to live for you and your belongings. Your host, the computer where your Web site files are stored, assigns an address (IP) for your files to your domain name so that anyone can find your Web site on the Internet by typing in your domain name.

Can I choose you to design my site and use my own web hosting?

Yes, you can use any web host you like. Once your website has been completed you will have to provide us with your web hosting login username and password so that we can upload your website for you.

Do you offer any type of discounts?

Yes, we offer discounts for multiple projects, existing and long time clients, military, veterans, schools and true non profit organizations.

What Do I Put On My Site?

That would depend on the goals of your web site. If you run a business website you would include as much information about your products or services that your customers would need to purchase from you.

Do you offer consulting?

Yes we do. We offer an Initial 30 minute consultation FREE of charge to understand your company and your project. In addition, we also offer more in-depth consultations for a fee to those companies that need help in formulating their e-strategy.

You can contact us and speak to our Sales Department Toll Free 1-888-578-8300 for more information.

WEBSITE MAINTENANCE faqs

How Do I Make Changes to My Website?

You may make changes to your website in the following ways:

1) If you had After Dark Grafx initially build your website into a CRM software, then you can make edits to your website yourself by following the instructions provided to you upon activation of your website. If you would like your website built into a system like this, Please contact us. You can and speak to our Sales Department Toll Free 1-888-578-8300 for more information.

2) You can access the site with any of the available FTP programs on the market, download your website, make the changes necessary with your HTML software OR hand coded and place the files back onto the server. If you would like a list of programs to use, please contact us.

HOSTING faqs

What is Web Hosting?

Web Hosting (also known as Web site hosting or Web hosting) is the business of housing, serving, and maintaining files for one or more Web sites. In a sense, you rent space on a computer to hold your Web site. Your host, the computer where your Web site files are stored, assigns an address (IP) for your files to your domain name so that anyone can find your Web site on the Internet by typing in your domain name.

I am currently hosted with AnotherFirm.com and would like to switch over to After Dark Grafx Hosting. How do I do this?
Just fill out an inquiry and we will take care of everything. We will transfer your domain name along with all of your existing website content after we review the type of website.

What is a Domain Name?

A Domain name is a word for example “www.afterdarkgrafx.com” users enter in their address bar of an internet browser to visit a specific web site.
A domain name works like an address forwarding service.

All of your Web site content sits on a computer with a unique address. This is called an IP address. An IP address is made up of a series of numbers, such as 123.23.234.45. Your domain name directs visitors to your site using this IP address.

We use domain names instead of IP addresses because most people find it easier to remember a name rather than a series of numbers.

How long does it take for a hosting account to be set up?

As soon as we receive payment in full you can expect to have your hosting account completely setup in 24 hours or less.

What operating system is available on your servers?

On our servers we offer the choice between Windows and Linux/Unix operating systems.

Can I keep my domain name if I switch my web hosting over to your servers?

Absolutely! Although each ISP has it’s own policy for releasing domains and some may charge you a release fee. Or you may keep it registered with your initial company and just point the domain to our servers.

How can I register a domain name?

You can register a domain at After Dark Grafx by clicking here. You may need technical information such as your hosting server DNS configuration. To make it easy for our clients we will register a domain name for you. Simply call our Support personnel Toll Free at 1-888-578-8300, we can check for availability and register it in your name for you.

What is Data Transfer?

In general, any outward bound traffic from a web site, with the exception of e-mail, is considered to be data transfer. Every time a person visits your site every web page, image, midi file, quicktime video, etc. is viewed, data transfer is generated. Our hosting plans include a generous amount of free data transfer which should be more than enough for most sites. Additional data transfer beyond the threshold of most sites can be purchased at a relatively small charge to support the increased traffic. Some website hosting companies offer large amounts of disk space as well as data transfer that you will never use in order to entice you to purchase from them.

What is Disk Storage Space?

Disk storage space refers to the amount of server disk storage specifically allocated to your account. This space is used to store your web site files, the html, graphics, audio clips, POP mail messages, pdfs, software and any other files that make up your web site. Each of our hosting plans include a generous allotment of disk storage space, but additional space can be purchased for any account as is necessary. You can contact us and speak to our Sales Department Toll Free 1-888-578-8300 for more information.

Can I upgrade my hosting plan at any time?

Yes, you can upgrade your account at anytime. You can contact us and speak to our Sales Department Toll Free 1-888-578-8300 for more information.

What is an SSL Secure Server?

The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a commonly used protocol for managing the security of a message transmission on the Internet. SSL uses a program layer located between the Internet’s Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Transport Control Protocol (TCP) layers. The “sockets” part of the term refers to the sockets method of passing data back and forth between a client and a server program in a network or between program layers in the same computer. SSL uses the public-and-private key encryption system from RSA.SSL is an integral part of most Web browsers (clients) and Web servers. If a Web site is on a server that supports SSL, SSL can be enabled and specific Web pages can be identified as requiring SSL access. So in simpler terms, with an SSL Web Server Certificate on your website, any information sent to your web server is encrypted or scrambled, making it impossible to intercept or steal.

How can I transfer my existing site over to your servers?

We offer turnkey solutions – that means we do all the work for you. We want you to concentrate on what you do best – growing your business. You can contact us and speak to our Sales Department Toll Free 1-888-578-8300 for more information.

What is the difference between Shared and Dedicated Hosting - how can I decide which I need?

Shared Hosting simply means that there are more than one website on a particular server. We never put more accounts on a server than will utilize 50% of it’s resources to ensure optimal performance. Dedicated Hosting means that you control a whole server, configuring one or as many websites as you choose on it. Access to Dedicated Servers is gained by either Webmin, a browser based contol panel, or Telnet/SSH. Unless you have a large company with a high traffic website or are a web developer wanting to host multiple websites, a Shared Plan will probably fit your needs. Still have Questios? You can contact us and speak to our Sales Department Toll Free 1-888-578-8300 for more information.

Will someone else on the server be able to access my website files if I have a Shared Hosting Plan?

No. Your website will physically be on a server with other websites but only your specific login info will access your website files.

What is Virtual Web Hosting?

A web hosting provider hosts your Web site by placing it on a computer (also called a “server”, since it “serve” content up to Web surfers) which are designed specifically to host Web sites. Servers are directly connected to the Internet backbone on fast communication links (much like phone lines, only these lines are bigger, and carry digital data, instead of voices). Your Web site will reside on one of servers at a web host’s facility, yet you can view it and work on it from your own PC. This is virtually like having a computer of your own, hence the term Virtual Web Hosting.

How much space and bandwidth will I need?

For a smaller sites with little traffic, not so much. Your needs in this case can be met with 100 to 500MB of disk space and 1 to 10 GB of data transfer per month. (Be aware that movie and sound files will eat up a lot of disk space and bandwidth.) If your web site is text-based, you needn’t worry about this technical stuff – text takes almost no space at all – not even really big font sizes!

If you’re planning to sell something online, you will need Shopping Cart Solution and a secure online payment system. Choosing a large web space with a high bandwidth allowance is a good idea in this case.

In this category, 1GB of disk space or more is advisable. Bandwidth allowance really depends on how many visitors you’re expecting and how well you promote your web site. For most sites, 5 to 50 GB should suffice. You can contact us and speak to our Sales Department Toll Free 1-888-578-8300 for more information.

What is dedicated server hosting?

Dedicated server hosting is simply renting an entire web server from a dedicated web hosting provider. The hard disk storage space is usually of high capacity and the technical support quite thorough. The dedicated hosting option allows you the ability to maintain a large website while not having to be concerned about employing the staff to support it.

Why should I choose dedicated server hosting?

Dedicated server hosting offers you the opportunity to rent an entire server with on-location technical support. You can customize the server as you want. You should select a dedicated server hosting if your web site requires customized options or your web site need dedicated resource due to the high amount of traffic.

Why shouldn't I choose dedicated server hosting?

How do I access my Website Control Panel? I have a hosting account with After Dark Grafx

Simply open a browser and go to: http://www.yourdomain.com:2222 (ie: please substitute YOUR ACTUAL DOMAIN NAME where it says yourdomain.com) you should now see a username and password box to login. The access information for this area was sent to you upon opening an account with us. You can contact us and speak to our Technical Support Department Toll Free 1-888-578-8300 if you still need help.

How do I BACKUP my website?

Simply open a browser and go to: http://www.yourdomain.com:2222 (ie: please substitue YOUR ACTUAL DOMAIN NAME where it says yourdomain.com) you should now see a username and password box to login. Click on the icon that says BACKUP and it will submit the request to the system. It may take up to 24 hours for the backup to occur. You may then log back in to your Website Control Panel and download the backup to your computer. Simply click on the backup link to begin the process.

How do I use the Website Control Panel? I am confused...

Simply open a browser and go to: http://www.yourdomain.com:2222 (ie: please substitue YOUR ACTUAL DOMAIN NAME where it says yourdomain.com) you should now see a username and password box to login. Go ahead and click on any of the ICONS within the control panel. Once you click on the icon, on the TOP RIGHT of the control panel you will see a HELP icon. Click that icon to view information on HOW TO USE that particular area of the website. It will only give you information pertaining to the area that you are on.

What is the client's involvement in the design process?

We thoroughly discuss the project at hand with our client from the beginning. We encourage the client to bring in any samples, color combinations/swatches, and ideas they may have. During the design process, the client is asked to approve certain milestones before work continues. At the conclusion of a project, the client may request the artwork in various formats.

How do I check on the progress of my job during the design process?

The client is kept abreast of the progress of their job through our approval process. We present the project to the client at certain stages, or milestones, and wait for approval before we continue work. We find that this process keeps the client involved and prevents any breakdowns in communication. In between these milestones, the client is free to call in to get an update.

How will I receive my design project once it is finished?

A finished project is yours upon receipt of final payment. At your request, we will supply the electronic files to you via Download. We also keep a copy of your project on file for later updates or should you lose your copy up to one year.

Who owns the copyright for work After Dark Grafx has done for me?

Copyright is yours upon receipt of final payment. We do, however, reserve the right to use any work for promotional purposes.

I need something designed yesterday. Can you help me?

We can usually accommodate your rush job depending on how full our production schedule is. To be fair to other clients, if a job already in production is interrupted by a rush job, we reserve the right to add an additional 50% on top of the normal price.

I don't know where to start. Can you help me?

Call us at 1-888-578-8300. We’ll listen to your needs and tell you what your options are. A project may seem overwhelming until you have the right experts helping you out. We can put things in perspective and offer solutions that you may not have even considered.

I own a business related to gambling. Will you work with me?

Our apologies, but we do not work with companies dealing in harmful, unlawful, adult, or questionnable material.

Why can't I use images I got from a website for print?

Web images and print-quality images are different. They do not look different at first glance, but they are different formats. The web, video, and television use images that are 52–72 dpi (screen resolution). They also use the colors red, green, and blue (RGB) to make up the colors that you see. Printers use the colors cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) to print images and require a much higher resolution (300–1200 dpi) to print with clarity.

What style of Web Design do you do?

Our Web Site Interface Design style is only limited to the requests of our clients. We design for a diverse range of businesses and services and invite you to view our portfolio.

What does the Web Design process involve?

Following discussion on the style and layout you have in mind and the navigation required, we will present an interface option as per your brief plus one alternative for your approval. The interface will have a distinct design to establish your online identity and direct visitors directly to the section of the site they are most interested in.

We anticipate a certain amount of tweaking and corrections at the design stage however as we work at an hourly rate we will discuss costs involved if this exceeds time quoted.

We will require all photos and graphics used within the site in a digital format (on CD) before we can proceed.
For more information on Web Development or to request a meeting please contact us.

Do you design Banner Advertising for use on other web sites?

Yes we do. Please view a recent sample of Banner Advertising we have designed.

Do you design PDF documents?

Yes. We can design your documents such as application forms, catalogues and instruction manuals to name a few. They can then be downloaded from your web site to be printed or can be emailed direct to your clients.

What is the difference between offset and digital printing?

Offset printing is a widely used printing technique where the inked image is transferred (or “offset”) from a plate first to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface. Based on the repulsion of oil and water, paper obtains ink from ink rollers, while the non-printing area attracts a film of water, keeping the nonprinting areas ink-free.

Digital printing is a widely used, plate-less system that involves the reproduction of digital images on a physical surface, like a copier. Each cycle of the printer transfers a fresh image – same or different – to the substrate.

How do I choose between offset and digital printing for my project?

If you have a very short run project, i.e. a handful of specialty posters, digital printing is a more affordable, effective option. Because digital printing does not require plates, initial set-up costs are much lower. This is especially the case when your short run project involves 4 or more colors. In addition, digital printing makes it possible to print variable information from print to print, which conventional printing cannot do.

For other projects, offset printing provides many distinct advantages, including:
– Consistent high image quality on short and long run projects
– Usability on a wide range of printing surfaces in addition to smooth paper (e.g., wood, cloth, metal, leather, rough paper)
– Quite simply, the beauty of ink on paper

What is CMYK / process color / four-color printing?

Process color is a common shortened form of the term “four-color printing process.” Process color (and similar terms) refers both to a method of reproducing colored images on printing presses and to the specific ink colors used. Other ways of referring to this printing process include “four color,” “CMYK,” “full process” and “full color.”

The four-color printing process is based on mixing pigments of the four following colors in order to make other colors: cyan, magenta, and yellow, plus black (abbreviated as “K” for “key”). Using black ink provides shadow detail and reduces the amount of the primary colors needed to print dark hues.

Full-color printing relies on qualities of color mixing and human color perception. It is the dominant method of printing that is capable of reproducing a full range of color, required for reproducing color photographs in newspapers, books and magazines.

Why can't I use images I got from a website for print?

Web images and print-quality images are different. They do not look different at first glance, but they are different formats. The web, video, and television use images that are 52–72 dpi (screen resolution). They also use the colors red, green, and blue (RGB) to make up the colors that you see. Printers use the colors cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) to print images and require a much higher resolution (300–1200 dpi) to print with clarity.

MARKETING SERVICES faqs

What is Search Engine Optimization or SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of increasing the volume and traffic to a web site from search engines such a Google, Yahoo, or Bing via “natural” (“organic”) search results for targeted keywords. Usually, the earlier a site is presented in the search results, or the higher it “ranks”, the more searchers will visit that site. SEO can also target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, and industry-specific vertical markets.

As a marketing strategy for increasing a site’s relevance, SEO considers how search algorithms work and what people search for. SEO efforts may involve a site’s coding, presentation, and structure, as well as fixing problems that could prevent search engine indexing programs from fully spidering a site. Other, more noticeable efforts may include adding unique content to a site, ensuring that content is easily indexed by search engine robots, and making the site more appealing to users. Another class of techniques, known as black hat SEO , use methods such as link farms and keyword stuffing that tend to harm search engine user experience. Search engines look for sites that employ these techniques and may remove them from their indexes.

The initialism “SEO” can also refer to “search engine optimizers”, a term adopted by an industry of consultants who carry out optimization projects on behalf of clients, and by employees who perform SEO services in-house. Search engine optimization firms may offer SEO as a stand-alone service or as a part of a broader marketing campaign. Because effective SEO may require changes to the HTML source code of a site, SEO tactics may be incorporated into web site development and design. The term “search engine friendly” may be used to describe web site designs, menus, content management systems and shopping carts that are easy to optimize.
After Dark Grafx builds all custom made websites to be search engine friendly. Even though some of our clients do not wish to have their website optimized for search engine rankings, their websites are built to be search engine friendly in case they wish to have their websites optimized at a later time.

How do I promote my web site?

Submitting your website to major search engines like Google and Yahoo, is only the beginning of good promotion. Submittal does not guarantee top or quick placement into search results. A strong promotional campaign requires SEO ( Search Engine Optimization ) and Marketing. We can help you to be very successful in promoting your services and in making your website a lead generating mechanism.

When should I Update my website's listing on the Search Engines?

You should update your listings in the major Search Engines and Directories if you have made any significant changes to your web site such as: changing your domain name, changing file or directory names, moving pages to different directories, adding or deleting files, or making significant changes to the text on a page for which you want your listing updated quickly. To update your listings with the Search Engines, you can re-submit the URL of your index page and let their spiders ‘crawl’ through the rest of your site or you can re-submit the URL of each of the pages that has changed. You can delete an old listing for an outdated URL by submitting the URL of the old page once that page has been removed from the web server. When the Search Engine tries to index the non-existent page, it will get a “File Not Found” error and will delete any entries it has for that URL.

Why is SEO so important?

It is estimated that over 85% of people use the Internet to search for products or services with the intent of purchasing. SEO makes sure your website has all the necessary criteria to position high in search results. Without a ranking in the top 20, your website has no chance of being found by potential customers.

How long does it take to get my website indexed on the search engines?

Each search engine is different. Generally, it takes anywhere from 3-12 weeks for search engines to index (spider) your site.

Which search engines will my website be submitted to?

We submit your web site to the top search engines (ask for current list). Then we also add your listing to the regional, industry specific, and international search engine or directories.

How does search Engine Optimization impact our business positively?

Search Engine Optimization can drastically transform the profitability quotient of your business by increasing the visibility of your website and directing targeted traffic to it. Whether you are a pure online marketer and rely completely on selling products or services through web portals or an entrepreneur using the internet as an ancillary tool, SEO is essential for sustained long-term gains. A top-10 ranking as compared to a Top-30 ranking has a considerable difference in the number of visitors to a site. With a Top-10 rank you can expect 300-400 clicks per day for a popular product or category. However, the clicks may reduce to 10-15 only if your website ranking drops from top-10 into the top-30s. The difference is drastic. Proper Search Engine Optimization methodologies can reap great profits for your business when applied effectively.

Can we take care of our website and online business optimization ourselves?

You can take care of your website and online business yourself provided you have the determination, patience and know-how to handle a search engine market. You also need to be aware of search engine algorithms. So, if you are ready to work consistently on your website and employ the right techniques, you will not need an SEO firm for web promotions. Else, it is best to seek professional help.

In what way can After Dark Grafx provide us with better services than other companies in the industry?

After Dark Grafx provides dedicated SEO services in comparison to its competitors. A majority of other firms adopt generic or outdated methods that compromise your rankings. After Dark Grafx employs the latest techniques and believes in a systematic approach customized to meet the requirements of its clients in order to achieve demonstrable improvement in search engine rankings and website visibility.

Are search engine rankings guaranteed?

Search engine rankings are almost guaranteed if you choose After Dark Grafx as your service provider because our experts keep themselves up-to-date on the algorithms adopted by the Search Engines. Results on popular search engines testify to the professionalism and expertise of our consultants. We do guarantee 100% customer satisfaction with regard to improved search engine rankings and have realized top ten listings for 98% of our clientele in the past 5 years.

What do paid inclusion services refer to

Paid inclusion is condition where the search engine company charges fees to include a website in their search database. Paid inclusion services are offered by most of the search engine companies. However Google does not offer paid inclusion services.

How long before the results show?

Results may start appearing within the first month on some search engines. Google generally takes a little longer before the results starts appearing.

What is the importance of SEO?

By optimizing your web site for top search engines, they can index and easily locate it from among the billions of web pages. Nowadays, information seekers don’t waste much time in searching and go no deeper than four or five pages. If your web page is embedded deep in the search results, it is unlikely that any person would visit the page for specific information. So, you need to make your site search engine friendly, and promote the traffic levels and search engine rankings.

What are Meta tags, Meta keywords, and Meta description tags?

Meta tags are vital for good search engine placements. These are HTML codes used to assist some search engines index the web pages.
Meta Keyword tags are used in web sites to achieve top search engine positioning.

Meta description tag is a short summary of the web site that shows up in the search engine results.
Meta tags, Meta keyword tags, and Meta description tags play an important role in search engine page ranking.

What are the tools used in SEO process?

SEO tools are used to optimize web sites by improving the available website positioning strategies and enhancing the recent search engine marketing efforts. Some of the SEO tools are keyword research tools, search engine position checkers, link popularity checkers, keyword analysis tools, and Meta tag generators.

E-COMMERCE SOLUTIONS faqs

What is a Shopping Cart?

Simply put it’s the ability to sell products or services online from your website. The shopping cart is a common metaphor (from the original grocery store shopping cart) where a visitor can browse your products and make selections to purchase. Typically, the visitor checks off any products or services that wish to purchase and then simply “Checks Out” by proceeding to a page where information such as billing, shipping and payment method is collected and the order is placed and confirmed.

The technical answer is pre packaged programming that provides a website with the ability to build a catalog of products, build its associated database of characteristics such as size, color, price, weight, product code, technical components, etc. and integrates this into pages on the website to provide a visitor with the ability to browse and purchase is known as shopping cart software

What do I need to start selling my products on the web?

A business bank account. A merchant account. The name of your business listed on the website. Your products and prices listed on the website. A return/cancellation policy listed on the website. Shipping time listed on the website. Customer service telephone number listed on the website. Privacy statement listed on the website.

What Shopping Carts Do You Develop For?

Shopify, Magento, Miva, BigCommerce and WooCommerce to name a few.

How might my business benefit from using an eCommerce website?

An eCommerce website can bring you a host of benefits including access to a global market, greater customer satisfaction, reduced marketing and sales costs, better customer information, and streamlined business processes.

Is an eCommerce website appropriate if my business is small?

Absolutely – one of the key benefits is that an eCommerce website gives you access to new markets and customers with only a small investment. It’s an excellent way for businesses to grow without having to employ sales staff or negotiate distribution deals.

How long does it take to build an eCommerce Website?

That depends on how complicated the site will be. It’s possible to have one up and running in as little at 5 days but usually several weeks depending on complexity.

What information do I need before I start the Merchant Account application process?

1. Social Security Number or Tax Identification Number
2. Direct Deposit Account and Routing Number (your bank should have this info)
3 . Average Ticket (Cost of your Most Expensive Product)
4 . Estimate Average Monthly Volume

After Dark Grafx is a certified Merchant Account Provider. Contact us to discuss the options.

What is a merchant account?

A merchant account is the bank account that tracks and transfers all of the monetary transactions that occur through your website. It allows you the ability to accept visa, mastercard, amex, etc. A Merchant Account can be added to your service at any time.

How do I set up my merchant account?

Talk to an After Dark Grafx consultant about ways to setup a merchant account with your banking institution.

Do you offer e-commerce packages?

Yes we do, from shopping carts to customized information sharing. We have e-commerce packages that start at $29.95. The costs all depend on your requirements. We also offer secure merchant gateways and merchant accounts to transact business in real time with automated fulfillment. Our E-commerce packages can handle any type of electronic processing from credit cards to checks and other electronic transfers.

How can I accept credit cards on my site?

In order to accept credit cards, you must have a merchant account. When accepting or processing credit cards online, it must be done with the highest security and encryption, using a 128-bit SSL Secure Server Certificate. In addition, payment processing software is used to deposit the funds into your merchant account. After Dark Grafx can provide you with everything needed to accept credit cards online.

What is Secure Socket Layer (SSL)?

The Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol has become the universal standard on the Web for authenticating sites and for encrypting communications between users and Web servers. Because SSL is built into all major browsers and Web servers, simply installing a digital certificate or Server ID enables SSL capabilities.
SSL server authentication allows users to confirm a Web server’s identity. SSL-enabled client software, such as a Web browser, can automatically check that a server’s certificate and public ID are valid and have been issued by a certificate authority (CA) — such as VeriSign — listed in the client software’s list of trusted CAs. SSL server authentication is vital for secure e-commerce transactions in which users, for example, are sending credit card numbers over the Web and first want to verify the receiving server’s identity.
An encrypted SSL connection requires all information sent between a client and a server to be encrypted by the sending software and decrypted by the receiving software, protecting private information from interception over the Internet. In addition, all data sent over an encrypted SSL connection is protected with a mechanism for detecting tampering — that is, for automatically determining whether the data has been altered in transit. This means that users can confidently send private data, such as credit card numbers, to a Web site, trusting that SSL keeps it private and confidential.

*Military, Veterans and San Diego Chamber of Commerce Members must provide proof of organization status to receive discounts on specified services. Not all services/products are discounted. Details Click Here.